Latch for escape hatches



Junezs, 1946. N. R ET AL 2,402,935

LATCH FOR ESCAPE HATCHES Filed April 18,1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 33 u 3o 67I042 I3 84 69 39 37 INVENTORS NATHAN HEFFNER SIMON o. H'EFFNER IO l6 I230 BY ATTORNEY June 25, 1946,

Filed April 18, 1944 N; HEFFNER EIAL LATCH FOR ESCAPE HATCHES 2Sfieets-Sheet 2 NATHAN HEFFNER SIMON O. HEFFNER Miami ATTORNEY PatentedJune 25, 1946 LATCH FOR ESCAPE HATCHES Nathan Heflner, Brooklyn, andSimon 0. Hefiner, Great Neck, N. Y.

Application April 18, 1944, Serial No. 531,662

6 Claims.

This invention relates generally to hatche and more particularly toquick operating hatches especially useful for the escape of seamen fromthe quarters in which they may become accidentally entrapped.

As is well known in the nautical field, when, owing to accident orattack in war, a portion of the ship becomes flooded or afire, so thatthe normal exit from a room or through a bulkhead is obstructed, it isdesirable that some additional exit or exits be provided, such exitsbeing located in opposite walls or bulkheads, or communicating withdifferent companionways or passages from those which are efiected by theobstructing conditions. Where the deck or outermost side wall portionsof the hull are adjacent or adjoinlug,- it is desirable that theseauxiliary exists communicate therewith or lead directly out thereon.

As a result of concussion, shock, water, or noxious gases, caused bycombustion or otherwise, the occupants of the particular chamber, room,or hold, may be dazed, partially asphyxiated, or otherwise physicallyincapacitated, so that it is desirable that the escape hatches providedbe easily operated and be of such a simple nature in the operationthereof that they may be success fully opened under the most adverseconditions.

It is therefore among the principal objects of the present invention toprovide novel and highly useful escape hatch constructions which may beprefabricated as a unit and installed in any desired wall or bulkhead ofa ship merely by cutting the requisite sized opening in the wall orbulkhead and securing the escape hatch in place.

Another object herein lies in the provision of a structure of the classdescribed which, while of relatively light weight, possesses adequatestrength so that the same may, when desired, be positioned upon theouter hull or deck of the ship upon whichit is installed.

Another object herein lies in the provision of escape hatch structure inwhich the opening thereof may be substantially instantaneouslyperformed, so as not to hinder the escape of the occupant or occupantsunder extremely hazardous conditions.

A feature of the present invention lies in the fact that the escapehatch may be operate by a simple pulling or pushing operation, as thecase may and in which the operation thereof is made so abvious to theuser that he may successfully accomplish his escape even though he maybe in a below-normal physical condition.

In accordance with the present invention, structure is disclosedwherein, where the escape 2 hatch has the outer portion thereofaccessible to a compauionway, passage, or other area likely tobeocc'upied or reached by other persons-than:

the one or ones trapped, the same may be actuated from the outsidethereof.

A feature of the present invention permits th same to be used undercircumstances where the wall.- within which the escape hatch ispositioned, needs be water-tight. In the use of the present invention, awater-tight connection between the cover plate of the escape hatch andthe surrounding portions may be obtained in a quick and easy manner.

These objects and other incidental ends and advailtages will more fullyappear in the progress of this disclosure and be pointed out in the ap-Dendeu' claims. I

In the drawings in which similar reference characters designatecorresponding throughout the several views of each embodimom: I

Fi ure 1 is a fragmentar vertical sectional view of an escape hatchconstruction which is an embodiment of the invention. This figureshows aclosed and latched position. I

Figure 2 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the device shown in Figure1 as seen from he- IOW'.

Figure 3 is a fragmentar vertical sectional view taken similarly toFigure 1, but showing the device in a closed and unlatched condition.

Figure 4 is a fragmentar Vertical sectional View as seen from the plane44 on Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view partl in elevationshowing the details of the stufiing box.

Turning now to the embodiment of theinventio'n illustrated Figures 1-5,inclusive, the escape-hatch, generally indicated by numeral I0,comprises broadly a hatch cover element ma coaming element l2; andlatching, compression, and opening mechanism, generally indicated byreference character [3.

The coami-hg element may be of any suitable general size, but theeffective internal diameter thereof is preferably sufficient to allowthe passage therethrough of a person aboard shi or other structure uponwhich the hatch i0 is used.

We have found that the circular coaming element may have an effectiveinternal diameter of between eighteen and twenty-five inches withsatisfactory operation.

Since the device 10 may be used one wall or bulkhead, or even on a largehatch or door the circular coaming may for clarity of this disclosureThe bar .14 may have secured to the forward or lower surface thereof inany suitable manner, as for example by welding, the push plate 19 and topermit operation of theescape hatch ID by even'the uninitiated, theplate 19 may carry suitable indicia, such as the word Push and in orderto permit the same to be legible even under adverse lighting conditions,said indicia may be in the form of luminous paint.

In the drawings, the device to is shown as mounted in a horizontalposition and in order to open the hatch cover from below, it would benecessary to press upon the plate 19 in an upward direction and themovement of the plate (8 would by the interconnected structure unlatchthe cover so that the same could be manually swung beyond a dead centerposition so that it might fall into the position indicated by thedot-dash lines on Figure 3. The cover H, thus is limited in itsmcst openposition, to the position shown by the dot-dash lines on Figure 3 by theabutment of the surfaces 89 on the movable members 31 against the outersurface of the coaming element 42 particularly against the bottom orhinge end wall portion l5. Where it is desired to open the hatch H] fromabove the cover H, the ring or handle 84 may be manually grasped andpulled. This motion moves the acmating rod 65 and in turn elevates thebar M causing a movement of the latching members 9 and 55, identicalwith that produced when the plate 19 is pushed.

When the hatch in is mounted in a vertical position, it is desirablethat the bottom or hinge end wall portion l5 be located at the lowermostposition, so that after the latching members 49 and 50 are disengagedonly a slight movement of the cover element I I will be necessary tocarry it beyond a dead center position so that the cover element willopen itself substantially by the action of its own weight.

The lower or inner end of the rod 45 is provided with an eye 82 whichsurrounds the bar 14, The plate 19 is provided with a central orifice 8|adapted to receive the eye 82.

In order to close the hatch I0, it is necessary only to replace thecover element H with the edge 32 of the coaming element l2 in contactwith the gasket 3| and to move the bar M either by means of the pusherplate 19 or by the rod 45 in a direction opposite to that previouslydescribed in connection with the opening of the hatch In. This willbring the parts to the position shown in Figure 1. To place the gasket3| under greater compression or to compensate for wear in said gasket,only further inward or downward movement of the bar 14 is necessary.

It may thus be seen that the movement of the bar 14 in the longitudinaldirection of the rod 45 acts to move the latching members 49 and 50 tothe closed and open positions thereof. The levers GI and 62 arepreferably offset at 90 and 9! so that the slots in the ends thereof donot bind upon the bar 14. Since the latching members 49 and 58 by themanipulation of the bar I4 have arcuate paths of travel about the pins63-64 and 65-68, respectively, said latching member have in theirmovements both lateral and vertical components as viewed in Figures 1and 3. This movement having both components mentioned, enables thelatching member to be moved inwardly of the lugs l8-2l so that theyproperly clear said lugs when it is desired to open the hatch coverelement. When the latching members are moved to the closed positionthereof, not only do they move laterally outwardly of the device I0 soas to place themselves whereby their path of travel in an openingmovement of the hatch cover element II will be obstructed by the lugsbut they also move toward the lugs in a direction which causes the hatchcover element l l to be pulled down against the edge 32 of the coamingelement ii.

The present escape hatches may be used on horizontal surfaces such asdecks, or on vertical surface such as bulkheads. The escape hatches maybe repetitively operated for test and trial purposes since there-seating of the hatch cover element to its original closed positionrequires merely the replacement of the cover element so that the gasketseats against the rear or outer rim. or edge of the coaming element andthe movement of the operating handle'on one side of the cover plate orthe other, as the case may be, to its original position or beyond tofully compress the gasket and obtain a leak proof seal thereat. Byvirtue of the compound leverage and wedge effect, the consequentmechanical advantage obtained provides for suflicient pressure even whenonly manual pressure or pull is exerted o the'particular operatinghandle.

It may thus be seen that we have provided a novel and useful escapehatch construction which is simple and foolproof in operation and iscapable of satisfactory performance over long periods of time and underadverse conditions. The combination construction may be fabricated as aunit and may be installed aboard ship by merely cutting the requisitesized opening to receive the coaming element and suitably securing thecoaming element in connection with the border of said opening.Relatively little physical strength is required to open or close thehatch and to actuate the latching mechanism. This feature is especiallyadvantageous since it may be necessary to actuate the closure and toopen the same under extremely adverse conditions. Since the cover platemay be opened from either the front or rear or top or bottom surfacesthereof, it becomes possible to reach entrapped men, who are, by reasonof injury, unable to reach or actuate the escape hatch, and to removethem through the hatch after the same has been opened.

We wish it to be understood that we do not desire to be limited to theexact details of construction shown and described, for obviousmodifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

We claim:

1. In an escape hatch construction: a coaming element; a hatch coverelement; a stationary lug connected to said coaming element; a leverhaving two arms angularly disposed with relation to each other, saidlever being pivotally mounted on said cover element; a latching elementassociated with said lever and movable therewith and movable into andout of engagement with said lug; one of said lever arms having anelongated slot; and an actuating rod disposed generally perpendicular tosaid cover element and reciprocably penetrating said cover element andarticulately connected to said lever by engagement in said slot.

2. In an escape hatch construction: a coaming element; a hatch coverelement; a stationary lug connected to said coaming element; a pair ofsubstantially L shaped levers fixedly connected to each other androtatably mounted, as a unit, on said cover element; said levers eachhaving a slot; said levers each having a short arm and a long arm; saidslot being elongated and located in the terminal of said long arm; anactuating rod slidably pentrating said cover element and articulatelyconnected to said long arms in said slots; and a latching element onsaid levers and 'movable into and out of engagement with said lugs incorrelation with the movement of the actuating rod.

3. In an escape hatch construction: a coaming element; a hatch coverelement; a pair of stationary lugs secured to said coaming element; ashiftable latching member adapted in a closed position of the hatch toengage said lugs and in an open position thereof to disengage and clearsaid lugs; a lever pivotally mounted on said cover element and connectedto said latch member; said lever having a short arm and a long arm witha slot in the end thereof; an actuatin rod penetrating said coverelement and articulately connected to said long arm by penetrating saidslot.

4. In an escape hatch construction: a coaming element; a hatch coverelement; a pair of stationary-1ugs secured to said coaming element,

each of said lugs having a cam surface; a shift- 7 able latching memberadapted in a closed position thereof and of the hatch to engage saidlugs, and in an open position thereof to disengage and clear said lugs;a lever pivotally mounted on said cover element and connected to saidlatch member; said lever having a short arm and a long arm with a slotin the end thereof; and an actuating rod penetrating said cover elementand articulately connected in said slot to said long arm.

5. In an escape hatch construction: a coaming element; a hatch coverelement; a stationary lug connected to said coaming element an L'-shapedsaid cover element and having a second arm with a free end, saidsecondarm being arranged at 7 an angle to said first arm; a latching elementon said lever and located substantially at'the junction of said firstand second arms; said latching element being disposed closer to the freeend of the second arm than the said point of pivotal connection isdisposed with respect to said free end of the second arm; said leverbeing movable into a closed position in which the latching elementengages the lug and into an open position in which the latching elementdisengages the lug.

6. In an escape hatch construction; a coaming element of generallycircular configuration; a hatch cover shaped to-fit the coaming element;a plurality of stationary lugs connected to said coaming element andequi-distantly arranged with respect to each other; a plurality oflevers equal in number to said lugs and each having first and secondarms angularly disposed with relation to each other; each lever havingits first arm pivotally connected to said cover element and with itssecond arm having a relatively free end; a plurality of latchingelements, one on each lever and movable therewith into and out ofengagement with one of said lugs, each latching element being disposedon its respective lever so as to lie closer to the said free end of thesecond arm than the point of pivotal connection of the lever and thecover element is disposed with respect to said free end of the secondarm.

' NATHAN HEFFNER.

SIMON 0. I-IEFFNER.

